Last time I checked, I could run Qt apps on my MATE desktop and Gtk+ apps on my KDE desktop. I prefer X11 because it's mature and works perfectly for me. I might try Wayland sometime, but it had better support all of the weird things I do with X11.
More to the point, the choice is a feature, and it comes with a bit of chaos. Would you rather live in an effectively single-party state like Singapore where everything is shiny but you get caned for spitting gum on the street (MacOS), Russia which is a third-world mafia state masquerading as a gas station masquerading as a world power (Windows), or a messy democracy like The Netherlands where everyone has a voice but sometimes the government collapses because they can't agree on everything (Linux)?
I live in The Netherlands and I've run Linux on the desktop for 30 years.
Before that, whatever Linux it was it came on about half a dozen 1.44MB floppies. I remember it used a Linux 0.9 kernel, but not much else - except it was a Real Proper Unix System like I had at university, except *on my very own desktop PC*! With a compiler and everything! And SLIP!
Oh that brings back memories, yes I'm sure I tried that one too.
One of them came on a bunch of floppies in sets, for the main system, X, and whetever, I think there were more like 12-13 of them in total; took a whole day to copy them and install IIRC. Not quite as bad as installing AIX from 5 1/4" on a 6150 I snagged somehow.
Let's see, I think Lasermoon and Zipslack were on the cover CD with Computer Shopper in about what, 1993? Pink and yellow CD. I think I only binned it a couple of years ago - stupid of me!
That’s a hilarious analogy. I agree with the general sentiment.
However… there is a difference between meaningful choice and choice that is simply a byproduct of grumpy disagreements from 20 years ago.
Choice has compound costs. Primarily, it creates interop issues. The best is example is, of course, software distribution (hey what ppa do I need to install node). It also creates an explosion of configuration options and points of failure.
The desktop distro maintainers should, imo, put their disagreements aside and find common ground to the most pressing issues. Perhaps funded by some billionaire or their mega-corp.
>Would you rather live in an effectively single-party state like Singapore where everything is shiny but you get caned for spitting gum on the street (MacOS)
This sounds like a good place to live for me, because I don't spit gum on streets and wouldn't want to live around people who do. What kind of disgusting person would do such a thing? And who chews gum these days?
Personally, I think this is a terrible analogy.
As an outsider, the Netherlands seems a lot more stable than many other democracies, including Germany and the US.
More to the point, the choice is a feature, and it comes with a bit of chaos. Would you rather live in an effectively single-party state like Singapore where everything is shiny but you get caned for spitting gum on the street (MacOS), Russia which is a third-world mafia state masquerading as a gas station masquerading as a world power (Windows), or a messy democracy like The Netherlands where everyone has a voice but sometimes the government collapses because they can't agree on everything (Linux)?
I live in The Netherlands and I've run Linux on the desktop for 30 years.